Dalava Kulam Massacre: Caste Killing in 19th Century Kerala

Dalava Kulam bus stand near the eastern gateway of the temple at Vaikam; the location of the old pond where the bodies of the massacred protesters where thrown into in early 19th century. Some local people are remembering while others lack any sense of memory related to the place. Commonsense works on erasure.

Dalava means Divan or chief minister in the former princely states of Travancore and Kochi that formed the south and mid Kerala till independence and Indian union formation in mid 20th century. Kulam means a huge pond or temple tank. The tank of the Dalava or Dalava Kulam is in Vaikam in northern part of Kottayam district in Kerala. The temple town on the eastern banks of the lake Vembanad and part of Kuttanad is renowned for the Vaikam Struggle or Satyagraha of 1924 – 25 that was 604 days long.

Local people pointing out some of the old blocks once part of the gateway to the pond at the site of Dalava Kulam in Vaikam; the place of the early 19th century massacre carried out by Kunju Kutti Pilla and his militia of Travancore.

The Vaikam struggle was for the basic human rights including the freedom of movement of the Avarna or outcastes of Hinduism. The Avarnas including the current Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes were prohibited from the early middle ages onward to walk the roads surrounding the temple. This was part of the untouchability practice enforced on the people as part of the Varna caste system of Brahmanical Hinduism that was established between the 8th and 12th century in Kerala. Till the middle ages the people were mostly Buddhists in mid and south Kerala. Most of the current big temples in Kerala including Vaikam were originally Mahayana shrines and Buddhist Viharas, nunneries and monasteries. Archaeological, iconographic, architectural and linguistic evidences are there to prove this hegemonic appropriation by covetous Brahmanism.

Vatta Kovil or Vattadage or rounded sanctum at Vaikam; exactly like a well rounded Stupa. Vattams and Mukkaal Vattams or apsidal or Gajaprishta (elephant butt) style are reminiscent of Buddhist Stupa and Chaitya architecture. Vattams are abundant in Kerala and Ceylon. Also mark the Aal Vilaku or Bo tree lamp, another key Buddhist icon.

The enforcers of Varna and caste untouchability feared that if Avarnas; the original Buddhists and makers of the temples are allowed to congregate near the Hinduized shrines they might recapture their holy Pallys or shrines. The numerical strength of the Avarna or the dalit bahujan is still a threat to Hindu Nationalism and its key spokesmen. So the caste Hindus protected their modified shrines from Avarna people the original owners and makers of the Buddhist Pallys. That is why the custom of closing the public roads, especially around the temples came into existence in Kerala by the middle ages. Ayyankali was asked to dismount from his bullock cart at Vaikam and to ply the long route for the untouchables. Narayana Guru and Kumaran Asan were asked to go back with their Cycle Rickshaw there. Muloor has written a poem about this insane caste worshipers who blocked the way of the prophet of Kerala renaissance who delivered them all from the dark ages of Varna. These were early 20th century developments. But the resistance began much earlier from socially aware Avarna young men.

Panachikal Devi at Vaikam temple. The Naga worship and sacred grove relics are also reminiscent of Buddhism and its conservationist ethical culture in Kerala. Kavu or sacred grove itself is named after Kanyakavu/Kanyastri the Buddhist nun, who nurtured the grove and sheltered the snakes, reptiles, birds and other animals as an everyday practice of compassion, Mudita and Maitri.

In early19th century in 1806 a group of 200 Avarna youth organized themselves and declared their public intention to enter the temple roads and to enter the temple for worship. They belonged to the Ezhava community and were from the north eastern regions of Vaikam. As they had made their intention public the news had reached the Travancore capital in Trivandrum. Velu Tampy (1765–1809) was the Dalava (1802-1809) or Dewan/Divan of that period and Avittam Tirunal Balarama Varma (1782 – 7 Nov 1810) was the King (1798 to 1810).

Elephant image is a key icon of the Buddha as Gajotama or Vinayaka as he is represented by Asoka at Dhauli. Lotus petal motifs on altar and lamp posts are also relics of Buddhist iconography. Dhamma Simhas and Gajas; ethical lions and elephants are everywhere in Kerala temples, especially at the baseline of altars and sanctums. Pic from Panachikal Kavu at Vaikam temple.

Tampy was an Idaprabhu or petty baron or Nair feudal lord from Kalkulam in Nagerkovil and as a subservient Sudra he was an anti Avarna in his policies and moves. It was he who terminated the Ezhava warriors in Travancore forces following Martanda Varma (1706 – 7 July 1758 and reigned 1729-58) the fierce founder of Travancore. He was also the one to slash down the pay of the militia in general that caused the Nair militia mutiny. Tampy also executed the leader of the mutineers; Kollam Krishna Pilla by tearing his body using two elephants. Avittam Tirunal Balarama Varma was a minion and puppet in the hands of the usurping Brahman minister-priest called Jayantan Nampootiri from Calicut who assumed powers after plotting against and poisoning to death Rajah Kesavadasar (1745-1799) the brilliant Dalava of Travancore who successfully defended it against Mysore invasion and materialized the economic development and modernization of the state through envisioning and making possible the port city of Alapuzha.

Vaikam temple, a view from east. 27 Sept 2015.

Tampy used the news of Ezhava youth defying the caste codes to teach the Avarna a lethal lesson in turn. He ordered the massacre of the Avarna who enter the temple road. It was successfully conveyed to the state militia at Vaikam by his close associates and subordinates like Kunju Kutti Pilla and Vaikam Papanava Pilla. All the 200 young men who were peacefully walking towards the temple in procession for worhsip from the east were brutally confronted, beaten and butchered down by the Nair brigade led by Kunju Kutti Pilla. The Ezhava youth were unarmed and they were ruthlessly killed then and there before the eastern gateway of the temple. The bodies were thrown into the Kulam or tank/pond nearby on the north eastern side of the temple compound and pushed down into the slush and mud. From then on the Kulam or pond came to be known as Dalava Kulam the brutal pond of Velu Tampy Dalava who has ordered this gruesome massacre at Vaikam at the wake of 19th century in 1806.

This hoary episode of brutal massacre by the Nair brigade of Travancore led by Kunju Kutti Pilla, Papanava Pilla and Kutira Pakky under the officiating order of Velu Tampy Dalava became notorious in Kerala history as Dalava Kulam massacre. This was the key historic incident that led to the Vaikam struggle of 1924 under the leadership of T K Madhavan and the visionary guidance of Narayana Guru himself. Periyor E V R from Tamilakam came to join the struggle inspired by the secular and rational teachings of Nanuguru. Gandhiji was in Vaikam to talk to the Nambootiri of Indanturuty Mana and other Brahmanic high priests. Gandhiji, the Congress and caste Hindu leaders like Mannam came together to organize a “Savarna Jadha” as a grand finale for the official “success” of the “Satyagraha.”

A Scull from Dalava Kulam that eats up the gate keeper: A sculpture installed at Vaikam by Sujit K S. Author of the essay Ajay Sekher before the work, Sept 2015.

It can also be remembered that it was after this massacre at the beginning of 19th century that Arattupuzha Velayudha Panikar (1825 – Jan 1874) from Kayamkulam, a pioneer of social reform and anti caste protest in Kerala, another brave Ezhava crusader against Brahmanism and untouchability; came in disguise to Vaikam temple as a “Vesha Brahman” in Pandit Ayyothi Thasar’s words, with the sacred thread and observed the Tantric practices and successfully escaped from there through the lake Vembanad on his row boat and consecrated the first temple for the Avarna in his village Arattupzha in mid 19th century. He was brutally killed by cheat by the henchmen of caste Hindu slavery while he was fast asleep on his boat that was anchored in Kayamkulam Kayal.

The Dalava Kulam is now a private bus stand and local people are forgetful of their own history. It is high time that the enlightened citizens and local bodies create an apt memorial for this great anti caste struggle that is the forerunner of the Vaikam struggle and commemorate the brave martyrs of Dalava Kulam massacre in a fitting tribute. There is also an urgent need to textualize and recreate the episode through visual and other artistic narratives. T K Madhavan’s Desabhimani daily had published a local ballad on the unsung heroes of Vaikam Dalava Kulam massacre who laid down their lives for the greater liberty of the people from caste Brahmansim in 1924. Dalitbandhu N K Jose has published a book on Dalavakulam massacre in 2006. Such new histories and representations are required to check the booming of Hindutva discourses and the spread of Brahmanical and Varna-caste values and patriarchal norms in society and polity.

One Response to “Dalava Kulam Massacre: Caste Killing in 19th Century Kerala”

Dear Ajayasekhar Congrtulations for your bold presentation on Dalavakulam. This so – called Dalava was an userper of power and an eagle-eyed and stone – hearted being, an annihilator of the Ezhava community, which had been playing a pivotal role in the socio-political life of the Malayalees upto the beginning of the 19th century. Many do not know much about Dalavakulam. Congratulations and thanks for what you have done. Hope to be in touch. Regards Dr.C.N.Somarajan. Mobile Number ; 9447024095